On the next 11th November, London will be the stage for the presentation of David Bowie’s Furniture Collection at Sotheby’s. Bowie’s collection counts with a wide range of pieces designed by the Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Group based in Milan.

Too little was known about the latest David Bowie’s private art collection until his death, earlier this year. The collection is composed of over 100 pieces and the costs are expected to be in a range between £60 and £7000. Best Design Guides will unveil some of the most interesting ones.

Bowie was born and raised in South of London and he has studied art, music and design before he decided for a professional career as musician in 1963. Adam Trunoske, the Sotheby’s furniture expert, said that Bowie’s collection is one of the most impressive and extensive in the world, it also includes also some fashion design works by Karl Lagerfeld and Dennis Zanone.

“The Memphis designers flipped things on their head, and Bowie was always changing things up,” said Adam Trunoske. An he continued saying: “What I love is that Bowie kept this collection private and really wants to keep this to himself and have fun. I think that really says a lot about Bowie.”

Massimo Iosa Ghini, Bertrand Sideboard

“The works produced by the historical avant-garde design collaborative Memphis Milano, led by Ettore Sottsass, could not have found a more receptive and tuned-in audience than David Bowie,” said Cécile Verdier, Co-Worldwide Head of 20th Century Design at Sotheby’s.

Ettore Sottsass, Carlton bookcase

Then she added: “This is design with no limits and no boundaries. When you look at a piece of Memphis design, you see their unconventionality, the kaleidoscope of forms and patterns, the vibrant contrasting colours that really shouldn’t work but really do.”

Ettore Sottsass, Vases

David Bowie had a kind of obsession with Memphis Design, founded by Ettore Sottsass in the early 1980s, and with its designs which completely stood out the typical art world.

Ettore Sottsass, Ashoka Lamp

Simon Hucker, the specialist in modern art at Sotheby’s said: “Does this song or that furniture piece influence a particular song? It’s not really clear, but this does shine a light on how Bowie approached creativity, art, and the creative process. For instance, he loved Duchamp, and the idea that anything could be art. It’s no surprise he’s be attracted to work that’s groundbreaking and breaks the rules.”

Adam Trunoske emphasized that “He was always kind of changing his style throughout the years and he was never quite the same person, and these pieces really reflected him because they polarised audiences when they came out.”